to be afraid to go to sleep?

[littlemisssarcastic]

I have a heavy cold, temperature and generally feel like shit.
I am lying in bed and I swear my heart is missing beats.
I can hear my heart . . . dum dum dum. . . . . . . . dum dum dum . . . . ..
I have checked my wrist and can feel it beats a few times, between 3 and 10 beats, then misses.
Is it safe to sleep?
I have a young DD and am here alone with DD.

[Joules68]

No history of heart problems?

[usernameunknown]

Sore throat?

[hiddenhome]

It's normal to have palpitations when you have a virus. It's the high temperature that seems to cause it. They won't do you any harm even though they're uncomfortable and can cause anxiety. Some hot milk would calm you and some relaxing sounds as a distraction perhaps.

[usernameunknown]

Sounds like a virus xx

[AgentZigzag]

Checking your pulse out is going to make it go faster if you're anxious anyway isn't it?

It's OK, you're going to be fine if you go to sleep, unless you've got any underlying medical problems a heavy cold won't make your heart stop or go so fast it kaputs.

Do you have any history of anxiety causing you problems?

(I'm not medically trained in any way and posting as though you're getting things out of perspective rather than there being a medical emergency)

[littlemisssarcastic]

No, none that I know of. Had some chest pains a while back and saw GP who listened to my chest and thought I was fine. He said it was anxiety induced.
Not had chest pains for a while now. Have given up smoking for 2 months.
I do worry about not waking up a lot but that's because I worry about what would DD do.

[HadABadDay2014]

It sounds like heart palpations caused by panic attacks.

But ring ooh to get advice.

[littlemisssarcastic]

That's reassuring. I started with a sore throat on Wednesday evening. Sore throat disappeared within 24 hours.
I think I have got a temperature because I feel hot and clammy but have just taken some paracetamol. Paracetamol seems to be taking about 40 minutes to relieve the temperature and the headache.

Sometimes I get heavy colds like this. I have aching limbs, hot congested facial area, shivering, headache, blocked nose, blocked ears, sneezing and generally feeling like crap.
The paracetamol helps a lot so am just waiting for it to kick in which should be in next 10 minutes.
I am being careful to take it as directed, no more than 4 hourly.

[AgentZigzag]

Worrying about not being there for your children and what it'd do to them is pretty normal IMO.

But has it crossed over from idle thoughts occasionally to obsessing about every different scenario you come across during the day? Or maybe just at specific times like going to bed?

If it stopping you from sleeping is a measurement then I would say that's a problem.

But then going to sleep is a time when it's a bit of a void and you think over what's gone on in the day, it's easy for that to slip into a routine of worrying about the same things. Plus you're going to be 'out' for a while and that can make it feel as though you're not in control or being there for your DD (to protect her?), anything could happen.

Can you listen to the radio or an audio book while you're going to sleep? Blocking out the anxiety a bit?

[AgentZigzag]

And some because it's shit being ill.

[littlemisssarcastic]

Agent I have suffered with much more anxiety lately, had fluttering feelings in my chest, a little like you might get when you've just had a fright, but with no fright.
I am not on any medication though.

[WorraLiberty]

Are you propping yourself up with pillows or slouching by any chance?

I get unexplained heart palpitations but having had 3 ECGs that didn't pick them up (because it just didn't happen at the time) my GP advised me to either sit up straight, or lie down flat when they happen.

It's something to do with your stomach and intestines pushing upwards...making your heart beat against a 'wall'.

I'm not sure I've conveyed that right but the advice always works for me.

[AgentZigzag]

Anything you can think of that might have brought the anxiety on?

How old is your DD?

[littlemisssarcastic]

I tend not to give my heart a second thought during the day but when I'm laying in bed, and I can hear the dum dum dum, I think about how much I hope my heart keeps going and what an amazing muscle it is to just keep going and oh I hope it keeps going because I have to keep going for DD. There is no one else who could realistically look after DD without her life being quite shit.

I think because my heart is all I have to listen to when I am lying in a dark quiet room whereas during the day, there are other sounds, other things going on.
I can't sleep with any noise and DD is sleeping in my bed atm too but if I start to feel really worried, I might get up and watch some TV.

[Waltonswatcher1]

It sounds to me like the very thing you are scared of doing ,is the very thing you need! Sleep well op and I hope you feel better in the morning .

[littlemisssarcastic]

I'm sleeping on 1 thick pillow. (memory foam thick).

I can't think of anything in particular that's brought these anxious feelings on although I think about the heart thing almost every night while going to sleep but then remind myself that I always wake in the morning so am probably worrying unnecessarily.

DD is 5.

[FracturedViewOfLife]

I have asthma and when I have a cold I get really anxious, night time is the worst. I really feel for you.

Do you have a smart phone? There are some sleep meditation apps available that help me sleep that may be useful? It gives me something to focus on and I have rarely made it to the end of one.

[FracturedViewOfLife]

I hope you get some sleep soon and feel better.

[WorraLiberty]

Ahhh ok so it does sound like a panic/mind thing rather than an actual heart problem.

I agree with Waltons, please don't be scared to do the thing you need most right now...and that's sleep!

Go to bed woman!

[littlemisssarcastic]

I do have a smartphone. Which apps are they?

[littlemisssarcastic]

Ok, am going to try to think of other things and go to sleep.

Thank you for all of your reassurance. It has helped a lot.

[AgentZigzag]

I think about how fragile your heart is and how I'm fucked if it packs up too, and when I'm in bed as well. But like you say, it's usually the only thing you can hear and reminds you of worrying about it the previous however many nights.


You've maybe got into the habit of zeroing in on it, it's easily done.

But it seems unusual if it's only come on recently. If you were a person with anxiety in general then it would be the norm for you, but because it's a new thing does that say something has caused it from shit going on in your life?

[FracturedViewOfLife]

From the iPhone app store I currently have, iSleep Easy (I recommend the Autogenic Relaxation part) and Sleep Easy Meditation. I have used lots of them in the past though. They usually have an annoying accent and weird music or sound effects, I was very dubious when I first tried them, but they do help me.

Night, I hope your in bed sleeping now

[AngryFeet]

Are you sure it is skipping beats? Sometimes you are just not hearing/feeling it right as your fingers aren't quite on the correct spot. Honestly I have anxiety and feel like I get this too but a couple of 24 hours ecgs have been normal. Sleep will help :)

[EmmaBemma]

Angryfeet, when your heart really is skipping beats you don't have to feel it by checking your pulse, you can just tell.

OP, I get this too, also worst at night in bed, especially when I have a cold or am run down, but at other times too. It could be your temperature, or an electrolyte imbalance, or some other virus-related effect. I eve find mine seem to be linked to my menstrual cycle in some way, possibly due to water retention and increased blood volume? I've been checked out - 24 hour ECG, echocardiogram, nothing wrong with me. Just one of those things. It just sounds to me like you're just a bit under the weather and you just need to rest up.